Determinants of persistence and the role of financial aid: lessons from Chile

Abstract

This article explores the determinants of persistence in the Chilean higher education system, considering academic and socio-demographic factors as well as the role of financial aid. The financial aid policy for students in Chile has undergone major changes over the last decade, which has allowed individuals from usually underrepresented income groups to enroll in higher education institutions. This analysis combines information from four public administrative agencies, obtaining a sample of over 75 % of all high school graduates for the period 2007-2010. Methods include descriptive statistics, logistic regression and propensity score matching (PSM). Both continuous persistence and reentry were studied at the system and at the institutional level for all four cohorts. Descriptive results show that short-and long-term dropout rates at the system level are high, and dropout rates are even higher at the level of institutions. Findings from the PSM show that the non-subsidized state loan is the instrument that displays the strongest correlation with persistence and it holds homogeneously across students from different socioeconomic groups. Among grants, we find consistently positive effects of need-based grants targeting low-income students attending technical institutions. We provide educational policy recommendations based on our findings.

Learning Better: Public Policy for Skills Development

“…11 In turn, better students make for better institutions. Evidence from Chile points in the same direction, showing positive effects on enrollment of a needs-based grant program (Becas Nuevo Milenio) and smaller effects of merit-based programs (Beca Excelencia Academica, BEA, and Beca Juan Gomez MillasJGM) (Santelices et al, 2016). Unfortunately, both types of scholarships can lead to unintended consequences.…”

Equidad en el acceso y la graduación en la Educación Superior: Reflexiones desde el Cono Sur

“…En los tres casos, la literatura que indaga sobre el abandono de los estudios de nivel superior da cuenta que este afecta especialmente al primer año de los estudios, a los jóvenes de los estratos de menor ingreso, los varones y los que detentan menor capital cultural en su hogar (Adrogué & García de Fanelli, 2018;Fiori & Ramírez, 2014;Rama, 2016;Santelices et al, 2016).…”

Beyonds Dropouts: Academic Trajectories in Higher Education in Chile

“…Por lo anterior, nos referiremos a reingreso cuando el estudiante se retira de su programa para volver en el futuro no limitado al plazo de un año, sino que considera todos los años disponibles. Otros estudios para Chile avanzan en esta misma dirección, incluyendo el concepto de "transferencia de institución" para entender las trayectorias académicas (Santelices, Catalán, Kruger & Horn, 2016).…”

“…En años sucesivos, ha habido esfuerzos que han abordado los determinantes de la persistencia en la educación superior chilena y que incluyen el reingreso a la misma. Mediante una base de cuatro cohortes, regresiones logísticas y una metodología de matching, se ha encontrado que la permanencia en la educación superior y el reingreso a la misma se asocia a mejores condiciones socioeducativas y financieras (Santelices et al, 2016). En la presente investigación se busca complementar estos esfuerzos, revisando qué ocurrió con aquellos estudiantes que reingresaron, si se titularon, permanecieron o desertaron definitivamente.…”